How to care for a puppy
In order to save animals, you must know how to care for your own animals. This is for puppies. Everybody loves puppies I have known of people who can't stand kittens. Of people who don't like horses, and deny any friendship with ducks. But, never before has a person turned down a puppy in my prescence. Thier adorable faces, soft pelts, and loving personalities make puppies one of the worlds most prized possesions. However, because of their belovedness, many puppies get adopted by owners who don't know what to do. Are you a little worried about the kind of care your giving your puppy? Read on, my fellow dog-lover, read on. Caring for the Pups In order to care for the puppies, some time, money, and love must go into insuring that the pup is safe, healthy, and happy in his or her new environment. First things first, make sure you have bought or hand-made the following necessary items for a puppy. #Puppy food #Bowls (at least 2) #A bed or a blanket #Water #Leash and collar Now that your set with at least the crude amount of things needed for a puppies survival, lets move onto bigger things. Your puppy will not only need a bed, food, and water, but also some pleasure items. I say to get these second over all things because a puppy needs playtime and love, not just a bowl of food and a walk a day. These items listed below are all good toys and other pleasure items for puppies. #Chew toy (puppies are teething this is a MUST) #dog treats (smaller the better) #Ball #Soft toy (a teddy bear, stuffed duck, etc.) #A book about your puppies breed (this will definately come in handy) #tug o' war toy These are the best toys and things for a puppy in order to promote a confident, playful, and happy dog when the puppy grows into an adult as he must. A few things to remember now. Food for the puppy must be monitered. The puppy must recieve the same amount of food every day, be it given 3 times a day, twice, or only once. And, know how much your puppy must be eating! An obese dog is not a complete joy! Also, know that as your dog ages, he will need more food. The amount of food given to a puppy, is nearly 1/2 the amount given to a dog. Make sure to continuelly add food to the bowl of the puppy as he gets older and bigger. By the time your dog is about 1 to 1 1/4 years old, she will be ready to stop recieving more food. You may even want to lower it agian as your puppy doesn't need the extra food to help with growing. Dog treats must be monitered, and no more than a few a day. Water must be always available to the puppy. The bed might take some time getting the pup used to. Try some training and eventually the puppy will understand where his bed is, and where your is, and how they differ. A leash and a collar are an absolute must for any dog or puppy. This will save your pup if he runs away and gets lost, and will also help you to control and train him or her. Walking the puppy, I feel should be done 2-3 times a day, and each walk for about 7-15 minutes. This encourages the puppy to relieve itself outside and gets the puppy a chance to properly explore its neighbourhood and get some exersize. The collar should always remain on the puppy. I feel that the soft toy and the chew toy must always be available for the puppies pleasure. The ball and the tug o' war toy can come out when you want it to or to reward the pup for good behaviour. Playtime with your puppy should last for at least 20 minutes and should be once daily. This lets the puppy have fun, and time to bond with you. However, alone time is also needed for the puppy. This time will help the puppy be more confident and mature. He wont rely solely on you in his lifetime. Let your dog sleep. He will be very tired as a puppy, and will need plenty of time to sleep and nap. Never wake a puppy or dog up from sleeping. It is good for them. A cage is a good idea for a puppy, in order to keep it contained and from destroying your home while your away. However, if the cage is to be used, use it often so the puppy doesn't think of it as a 'bad place' where he goes only when your away, the latter will only make him more miserable and less confident without you. Knowing that the cage is a place with toys, and sometimes with your company will make it much more durable. If you plan to put your puppy in competition, like showing or flyball, ask your vet about when will be a good time to begin training. Obedience training can began at any time in your pups life. Teaching your puppy to sit, stay, and heel are very good obedience tricks and can save your puppies life. Now that you know how to care for a puppy, go and do it! Know that by owning a puppy or a dog, you are helping out in the big world of saving animals.